The Hanging Tree Page #5

''How are you feeling?''

And:
''Stick out your tongue''?

I can see how you are.

Am I well?

- Let me see your hands.

- They're dirty.

Perhaps I should ask

how are you? Are you well?

The next time you're in town stop by

and I'll give you something for your hands.

Thank you, Doctor.

"Lucky Lady".

Is it lucky?

Not yet, but it doesn't hurt to hope.

I suppose Rune is fine?

We both miss you, Doctor.

What are you doing?

Spying on us?

What is there he shouldn't see?

Rune?

Rune! Get back to work!

I only own 50% of this hole

and I ain't digging more

than 50% of this dirt!

Why don't we quit?

You can. But if you do the claim

belongs to Rune and me.

You want my share?

I'll sell cheap.

And I ask you why would Mr. Plante

have so much money

if it wasn't a wonderful claim?

Do you always look

at a woman like that?

A partner has some rights, eh?

Don't even get a free look?

I suppose you gotta be

a doctor to get that.

I suppose a doctor

could get an eyeful.

I liked that real well.

Wait.

That's better than nothing.

Rune!

I'm going into town to get supplies.

I want you to come with me.

You don't have to go.

There's no panic.

I'll see you tomorrow, Frenchy.

After this I'm going to spend

my nights in town

and work here days only.

I'm poison, eh?

Poison, eh.

Just a moment, and

I'll get you your change.

Good evening.

Good evening, Mrs. Flaunce.

We are just about out of everything

and I'm sorry to ask you for

another advance on my pin.

Your pin? Your priceless pin?

That pin wasn't worth a sack of potatoes.

I'm sorry, I don't understand

what you mean.

I came across your

private accounts.

That pin ain't down

for two cents.

- What do you mean?

- Stop the innocent lady act.

In plain tongue, Dr. Frail has been

paying your way from the start.

And ain't none of us has to ask

how you've been paying him back.

It's all down in black and white:

$ 1119 worth you're being kept.

That's being private!

Liar. Stupid female snake.

You ain't fit to crawl.

Some how, some way

I pay every cent of it back.

- Pay what back?

- I was in the store.

Mrs. Flaunce says you were keeping me.

She even called me a whore.

I didn't want that to happen.

I'm sorry.

- I can still arrange for you to leave.

- You have arranged enough!

What makes you think you

can play with people's lives?

It is very cruel the way you throw

women away if they get too close.

- You like them closer?

- No I don't.

But you do! You do it to

Rune! You do it to me.

- Someday life will do it to you.

- How do you know it hasn't?

Then it's true the story

they tell about you.

- And the woman who killed herself.

- Yes, it's true.

The woman was my wife.

And the man was my brother.

And I have no right to forget.

You want to tell me why?

This is a tincture of benzoin ointment.

I made it up for your hands.

It will heal them and

toughen them, too.

I'm done! I'm through!

I can't take this no more!

But them nuggets you found

must come from some place!

Some place, yeah! It was probably

left here by that flood in the Bible!

- What's that?

- Listen!

Feel the ground move?

Run, the tree!

- Rune!

- Here I am!

- Rune!

- It's gold!

- What is it?

Gold.

The roots of this tree has

been hanging on to them.

Sluice is busted.

Clean in two.

Where are you?

What are you doing in that hole?

Look.

It's a glory hole?

Look. Look!

It's a glory hole!

- Look!

- It's a glory hole!

Glory hole!

Glory hole!

Glory hole!

The Lucky Lady and me,

we've got the gold!

We've got the deepest, biggest, glory hole

in the history of the territory!

How's that?

Yeah!

Tomorrow I'll put the mine first.

But tonight Frenchy's throwing the biggest

party in the history of the territory!

- Yeah!

We've got tons of it!

It's running out of our ears!

Lady Luck! Rub some

of it off on me!

No, no, not all of them.

I want them to take home.

That's all right, partner.

I'm high grading a couple

of big sacks for myself.

Do what you want.

All those in favor of busting

this place wide open, follow me!

Come on, guys! Come on!

Frenchy is buying the store.

Free drinks for the whole

of Montana all day!

Give us bottles!

Remember last Saturday night?

No pay no play?

What a difference a

little gold makes, eh?

- I still think it safer with Flaunce.

- I want it here.

Well, this will be quite a night!

Now you know why they hunt

for it or kill for it.

Yes, now I do.

- You'll never be poor again.

- No.

I wish Doc was here.

Go and get dressed and

cleaned up so we can celebrate.

Burn them stinking clothes.

Burn them! Burn them!

Bring a bonfire!

Celebrate!

Frenchy, you ought to see this fire.

Is Doc Frail around?

Mine caved in up at Dry Canyon.

He left yesterday.

Caved in, eh?

What we do is kind of a joke see.

Bucket brigade!

Bucket brigade!

Bucket brigade!

Bucket brigade!

Hey Doc, is that you?

Did you hear the big news?

What do you want?

- Doc's not back yet.

- Just dropped in to wet your tonsils.

Thanks, I'm not drinking.

I'm going to a party.

- What's going on?

- The party's already started, son.

I brought you flowers.

They're very nice.

I guess you wouldn't want to

wear them with the roots, eh?

No.

Would you please go, Frenchy?

Why?

I'll be ready in just a few moments.

Then we'll get Rune and celebrate.

Why go?

You and me are partners.

You and me can have

our party right here...

Let's drink first.

Come to Frenchy.

Or do you want

Frenchy to come to you?

Either way, Frenchy is willing!

His house! The butcher

doctor's house!

- Where's Elizabeth and Rune?

- Right up on the hill.

That crazy Grubb has been screaming

to set fire to your place.

Frenchy has waited long enough.

Murderer! Butcher!

Lynch him!

Nail him to the tree!

Lynch him!

Rune!

They say this is a real humane

way to kill you, Frail.

The wagon gets pulled out

from under you... simple as that.

Say the word, Grubb.

Blood will have blood. And

whosoever sheddeth man's blood

by man shall blood be shed.

Genesis, 9th Chapter, 6th verse.

Go back!

You can have our gold.

You can have everything

we have.

Rune is my partner.

He agrees.

Please take it.

There's bags of gold.

There is so much.

Please take it.

You. Please take it.

You can even have our claim.

Here it is.

You know what it means.

Please take it.

Please take it.

Rune.

Know what?

She's trying to buy her man.

She wants him that bad.

Let her have him.

Frenchy said

it was worth a million.

Elizabeth.

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